I have a new masterbuilt smoker. I seasoned it and now I am smoking a butt and a brisket. I have the temp set at 225 and it is fluctuating around there +- 5*.

The meat has been on for almost 6 hours. I filled up the smoke box with chips that I soaked in water. I noticed smoke is coming out this morning and just checked it as I did not see smoke. The chips are not burned.

I also have a MES 30. I have read on other posts in here that you shouldn't soak the chips when using an MES. I never soaked them and they burn like they are supposed to. the trick has been to not overload the chip try, and to make sure that you have a good base of hot coals in the tray before adding more chips. what I would do is load the chip tray and let them burn as the smoker is coming up to temperature. By the time it's up to temperature, the first set of chips are nice and hot. Add maybe half a loader tray full up chips an hour. I even would sometimes pull the loader out and blow into the tray to "stoke" the coals a little bit. That really worked much better for me.

What I really recommend is an "A-Maze-N" dust or pellet smoker. Mine just got here and I plan on doing a shoulder with it this weekend. With the AMZN, I won't worry about the chips and chip tray at all. Actually, I will totally remove the chip tray. Fully loaded, the AMZN will produce 11 hours of thin blue smoke. So, I just set the temp, light the AMZN, and go back to sleep. These things are raved about on this site and are highly regarded. The customer service is awesome. The only even has a Golden Retriever. What else can you ask for? lol.

Check the position of your chip tray on the elements upon which it must sit to ensure a good snug fit.

Next ensure you are not using "chucks" instead of chips.

Turn your themastat higher and ensure you see the light come on indicating that the heater is in fact heating.

Is your top vent at least partially open, and has not be close by accident.

If your element is heating, your dry "chips" in the tray are making good contact on the heating element, and the air is flowing you should have smoke. If you have wet your chips, try pulling the tray and dumping them and try some dry chips.

PS if your heater is working your meats will not ruin, you are still cooking, you may just miss an abundant smoke flavor. And if doing a but and a brisket you have plenty of time to figure it out. BTW you actually got a whole butt and a brisket in an MES30? Heck I have cut a brisket back to just get it in.

You don't want a bunch of billowing smoke...sometimes it's smoking and you really have to look to see that it is. And Vents open to help the air flow..."fire" needs air to burn. Are you using your therm on the smoker....or one that is separate? What is the temp of your meat now?

Check the position of your chip tray on the elements upon which it must sit to ensure a good snug fit.

Next ensure you are not using "chucks" instead of chips.

Turn your themastat higher and ensure you see the light come on indicating that the heater is in fact heating.

Is your top vent at least partially open, and has not be close by accident.

If your element is heating, your dry "chips" in the tray are making good contact on the heating element, and the air is flowing you should have smoke. If you have wet your chips, try pulling the tray and dumping them and try some dry chips.

PS if your heater is working your meats will not ruin, you are still cooking, you may just miss an abundant smoke flavor. And if doing a but and a brisket you have plenty of time to figure it out. BTW you actually got a whole butt and a brisket in an MES30? Heck I have cut a brisket back to just get it in.

I did use smoke and I see it (and saw some of it in this smoke) come out the edges and the hole in the back.

I am using chips.

Heater was heating.

I do not have a top vent. Only a hole in the back for smoke to escape.

I posted another thread. Meat came out tender and juicy, but no smoke flavor. Didn't stop me from eating it however!